Apparatus for swaging flanges on tubular members



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS T.CORBEELS v T. CORBEELS ET AL R.N.MAR5HALL A ATTO EY APPARATUS FOR SWAGING FLANGE-S ON TUBULAR MEMBERS March 17,1959" Filed NOV.- 17, 1954 March 1959 TQc RBEELS ETAL 2,877,675

APPARATUS FOR SWAGING FLANGES ON TUBULAR MEMBERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17, 1954 a a a v INVENTORS T. CURB EE L5 R.N.MARSHALL BY Slm w ATTORNEY March T. CORBEELS E APPARATUS FOR SWAGING FLANGES ON TUBULAR MEMBERS Filed Nov. 17, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS J7 6 v T CO'RBE E-LS H R.N.MAR5HALL BY we mum United States Patent APPARATUS FOR SWAGING FLANGES 0N TUBULAR MEMBERS Theophile Corbeels and Robert. N. Marshall, Winston- Salem, N. C., assignors to Western Electric Company, glnctgporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Application November 17, 1954, Serial No. 469,489

Claims. (CI. 7817) The present invention relates to a swaging apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for swaging or heading the end portions of tubular articles, particularly for use as wave guides.

The use of wave guides for transmission in microwave systems having a plurality of frequency bands of wide range is possible if the dimensions, alignment and/or concentricity of the wave guides are held to.

very close tolerances.

In utilizing wave guides in such systems it is necessary to connect sections in the construction of a network of transmission towers or lines which may extend across a continent, to replace defective sections, and to insert at the proper location auxiliary equipment necessary for efiective transmission or control. Further, as the wave guide lines may be filled with a suitable gas such as dry air or nitrogen to protect the interior from corrosion, or to minimize breakdowns at high voltage, it is necessary to have a sealed joint and for electrical reasons the joint must mate nearly perfectly all around the inner perimeterof the tubing. This presents the problem of providing suitable wave guide sections which will permit achievement of the requirements set forth above.

It has been the practice in the past to utilize tubular members to which a flange has been soldered, but this has resulted in a certain amount of distortion due to warpage from the soldering heat. Also, in instances where threads have been provided to join sections, it has been found that the threads weaken the tube, and further that it is very expensive to form threads of the required precision.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for swaging or heading the end portions of tubular articles.

Another object of the invention is to prbvide apparatus for forming the headed portion of the tubular member.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for forming a headed tubular memher with a flange secured thereto.

According to the present invention a tubular member is formed with a headed portion at its extremity by applying pressure to an end of the tubular member while securing the tubular member against lateral movement and while supporting the internal surfaces thereof. In a second embodiment the headed portion is formed simultaneously with the securing of a flange thereto.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of one form of the swaging apparatus in a position prior to heading;

Fig 2 shows an enlarged fragmental cross-sectional view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in an operated position;

Fig. 3 shows a detail end view of a two-piece insert utilized in Figs..1 .and 2;

Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the headed tubu- 2,877,675 Patented Mar. 17,

2 lar member looking from the midportion thereof toward a headed extremity thereof;

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged fragmental cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with an alternative element;

Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but disclosing a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 shows an enlarged detailed fragmental cross sectional view of the flange secured to the headed tubular member;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a circular flange as secured on a circular tubular member, and

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of'a rectangular flange secured on a rectangular tubular member.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate similar elements throughout the several views, and particularly Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, a tubu' lar member designated generally by the numeral 11 is positioned in abutment with a member or stop 12 to prevent any longitudinal movement of the tube 11 during the insertion of a mandrel 13. The mandrel 13, which may be constructed of polished steel with slightly larger dimensions than the nominal inside dimensions of the tubular member 11, has a gradually tapered end section to avoid marking and scoring the inside surface of the tube 11. It has been found that by applying a lubricant to the mandrel 13 prior to insertion thereof into the tube 11 that the mandrel 13 is more readily extracted and scoring of the inside surface of the tube 11 is avoided.

Force is applied to the mandrel 13 by a hydraulic piston 14 to insert the mandrel 13 into the tube 11 a sufiicient distance so that pressure will not be applied on the tapered portion by clamping means, designated generally by the numeral 16, thereby avoiding the possibility of forming a mark on the inside surface of the tube 11 at the end of the clamp or at the line of juncture of the straight and tapered portions of the mandrel. The clamping means 16, having jaws 17 which are provided with fine serrations 18 to prevent slippage of the-tubular member 11 when extreme force is applied to the end thereof during the swaging or heading operation, is clamped on the tube 11 leaving a suitable length of the tube projecting from the clamp 16 to provide a sufiicient amount of material to form the swagedhead portion, designated generally by the numeral19." The clamping means '16 may be bolted or held together by any other suitable means.

An insert or form, designated generally by the numeral 21, is formed in two portions,-as may be seen in Fig. 3, and is placed over the portion of the tubular member 11 projecting from the clamping means 16 and in abutment therewith. The insert, formed with a slot 22, is tight fitting about the tube 11 to prevent formation of ripples in the tube during the swaging operation, and the two portions may be held together by any suitable means such as retainer ring 34. The slot 22 and the adjacent face of the insert 21 is of an'opposite configuration to the configuration of the desired headed portion 19.

The insert or form 21 is held against the clamping means 16 by a pressure pad or pads 23, to which longitudinal force is applied by a hydraulic piston 24 through arms 26 connected to a plurality of plungers 27 secured in the pad 23 and slidably mounted in a plurality of apertures 28 in a heading punch designated generally by the numeral 29 and apertures 31 in an abutting member designated generally by the numeral 32. The hollow heading punch 29, slidably mounted on the mandrel 13, is actuated by a hydraulic piston 33 through the application of force to the abutting" member 32. The member 32 also moves the insert retainer 34 to the proper position to prevent expansion of the insert 21 when longitudinal force is appliedby the heading punch 29 to an end of the tube 11 to head or swage the portion 19.

The insert retainer 34 should be sufliciently strong to prevent outward expansion of the'insert 21 because of the pressure created by the flowing metal during the heading or swaging operation, or consequently when the mandrel 13 is removed from the tube 11 the insert 21 may, because of the inherent elasticity of the metal from which it is made, contract to the original shape causing a reduction of the inside dimensions of the tube 11 at that section of the tube.

To prevent any expansion of the insert 21 and insert retainer 34 during the swaging operation, a steel compression ring may be shrunk on the retainer 34 if necessary. The insert retainer 34 must necessarily precede the heading punch 29 prior to and during the application of any large force by the heading punch 29 to the end of the tube 11 to form the headed portion 19 of the tube it.

It should be noted that the movement of the heading punch 29 and insert retainer 34 is limited by the flow characteristics of the material occupying the space enclosed by the heading punch 29, pressure pad 23, insert or form 21, clamping means 16 and mandrel 13 since the volume of this space is determined by the only moving part at that time, that being the heading punch 29. It should be understood, of course, that the movement of the retainer 34 and the heading punch 29 may also be controlled solely by the travel of the piston 33, or in combination with the flow characteristic of the material.

In the swaging operation it is desirable to have the speed of plastic flow exceed the rate of work-hardening in the metal to facilitate the formation of the head portion 19 and to prevent the possibility of distortion in the tube 11 due to unnecessary force being applied to overcome the work-hardening of the metal.

The final product, which may be of circular configuration as shown in Fig. 4, or rectangular configuration similar to Fig. 9 but without the flange, or any other desired shape, is removed from the apparatus by removing the clamping means 16 from the tubular member 13, maintaining force on the insert 21 by the use of the pressure pad 23 and on the tube 11 by the heading punch 29 and extracting the mandrel 13 from the tube 11 by reversing the hydraulic piston 14. Thereafter the heading punch 29, insert retainer 34 and abutting member 32 are retracted by the piston 33. For the purpose of retracting the heading punch 29 and insert retainer 34, the abutting member 32 is secured to the insert retainer 34 by studs 36 passing through apertures 37 in a plurality of members 38 having projections 39 located in indentations 41 in the insert retainer 34. With the above members so retracted the pressure pad 23 now also may be retracted, by reversing the hydraulic piston 24, and the two portions of the insert 21 may be removed after the tube 11 is completely free of the apparatus.

At such time as it is desired to utilize such headed wave guides in an installation, companion sections may be joined in a manner as disclosed and described in copending application Serial No. 476,003, filed on December 17, 1954, in the name of R. N. Marshall, now abandoned.

A modification of the above apparatus is disclosed in Fig. 5, wherein a split die 42 may be substituted for the insert 21. In this instance the apparatus would otherwise be the same, except that the insert retainer 34 will no longer be necessary, the two portions of the die 42 being held in proper working position by suitable means (not shown).

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, wherein the tubular member 11 is headed and a flange secured thereto simultaneously. In the following detailed description an attempt has been made to'utilize identifying numerals similar to those utilized above to designate similar members.

Referring to Fig. 6, it may be seen that the major 4 distinction from the described embodiment is that a flange indicated generally by the numeral 43 has been substituted for the insert 21. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the flange 43 is a single integral member, and is described more in detail in copending application Serial No. 469,488, filed on November 17, 1954, in the names of T. Corbeels and R. N. Marshall.

In utilization of the apparatus, the flange 43 will be placed over the end of the tube 11 projecting from the clamping means 16 before the tube has been clamped and the mandrel 13 inserted. Thereafter the apparatus functions similarly as described above to head the tube 11. In removing the product the flange 43 will remain secured to the tube 11 because of the metal flow, whereas in the previous embodiment the insert 21, which was used in piace of the flange, was removed. The flange 43 serves as a form and a portion thereof is provided with a configuration opposite in configuration to that of the desired headed portion.

It might be noted that while the flange 43 may be provided with a slot similar to slot 22 to form an identical headed portion 19, such as is disclosed in the above identified application to T. Corbeels and R. N. Marshall, it has been found preferable to form a headed portion designated generally by the numeral 44, such as is disclosed in Fig. 7. The headed portion 4-4 is provided with a pair of steps 46 and 47 formed by the flow of the metal into a recess 43 in the flange 43 under the action of heading punch 29. The shape of the headed portion 44 is preferred since it has been found during longitudinal pulling tests that stepped surfaces withstand greater pulling pressures without distorting the tube out of tolerance before the tube breaks.

A back extrusion collar 49 is also formed to retain the flange 43 in place, such collar being formed by the exertion of force on the end of the tube 11 by the heading punch 29 to cause metal to flow into recesses 51 m the clamping means 16. The collar 49 and the headed portion 44 will be formed substantially simultaneously upon the application of force by the heading punch 29, ll. being only necessary to provide a suflicient amount of the tube 11 projecting from the clamping means 16 to insure sufficient metal to flow.

It should be understood that the securing of the flange 43 to the tubular member 11 by swaging the head portion 44 and the collar 49 is illustrative of one embodiment of the invention only. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the flange 43 may be secured to the tube 11 by a head portion such as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5. inclusive, as mentioned above. There may be other variations also, such as serrations and/or indentations in the contacting surfaces of the flange 43 in lieu of the collar 49. Further, the collar 49 need not be continuous, if used, but may take the form of a series of projections. Also, the collar 49 may be replaced by a shoulder turned or formed on the end of the tube. Various methods of securing the flange 43 to the tube 11 are disclosed in the'abov-e-mentioned copending application to T. Corbeels and R. N. Marshall.

It should also be noted that the flange secured to a tube may be circular in cross-section as disclosed in Fig. 8, rectangular in cross-section as disclosed in Fig. 9, or any other desired configuration.

Although it has been stated that like reference numerals indicate similar elements throughout the several views, for reasons of clarity in the description like numerals have been used to designate similar elements having either a circular configuration or a rectangular configuration. However, it should be understood that the views as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 would remain the same whether a circular or a rectangular product was being formed; Fig. 3 would be rectangular in stead of circular.

It is to be understood that the above described methods and apparatus arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for heading hollow elongated members in the shape of an insert comprising a mandrel having an exterior configuration conforming substantially to the interior configuration of a member to be formed, means for clamping the member against longitudinal movement, means for forcibly inserting said mandrel into the member to be formed, a hollow heading punch having a crosssectional configuration conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of the member adjacently surrounding said mandrel for longitudinal movement with respect to said mandrel, a pressure pad adjacently surrounding said heading punch and movable with respect thereto for longitudinally urging an insert against the clamp, and a retaining ring connected to the heading punch surrounding said pressure pad and movable with respect thereto for restraining the periphery of said insert against movement transversely of the direction of movement of the punch, the punch being confined between the external surface of the mandrel and the pressure pad whereby a head formed on the member is restricted in lateral dimension to the distance between the external surface of the mandrel and the pressure pad.

2. Apparatus for heading hollow elongated members in the shape of an insert comprising a mandrel having an exterior configuration conforming substantially to the interior configuration of a member to be formed, a walled clamping means for clamping the member against longitudinal movement, said clamping means having a shoulder forming recess formed in the inner wall thereof, means for forcibly inserting said mandrel into the member to be formed, a hollow heading punch having a crosssectional configuration conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of the member adjacently surrounding said mandrel for longitudinal movement with respect to said mandrel against the end of the member, a pressure pad adjacently surrounding said heading punch and longitudinally movable with respect thereto for urging an insert against said clamp, a retaining ring connected to the heading punch and surrounding said pressure pad and movable with respect thereto for restraining the periphery of said insert against movement transversely of the direction of movement of the punch, the punch being confined between the external surfaces of the mandrel and the pressure pad whereby a head formed on the member is restricted in lateral dimension to the distance between the external surface of the mandrel and the pressure pad and a shoulder is formed in said recess.

3. Apparatus for heading hollow elongated members in the shape of an insert comprising a mandrel having an exterior configuration conforming substantially to the interior configuration of the member to be formed, a walled clamping means for clamping the member against longitudinal movement, means for forcibly inserting said mandrel into the member to be formed, a hollow heading punch having a cross-sectional configuration conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of the member adjacently surrounding said mandrel for longitudinal movement with respect to said mandrel, flange member supporting surfaces on said clamping means surrounding the mandrel, a pressure pad surrounding said heading punch and movable with respect thereto for longitudinally urging at a lateral distance from the member a flange member against said clamping means, a retaining ring connected to the punch for simultaneous longitudinal movement therewith adjacently surrounding said pressure pad and movable with respect thereto and having surfaces coriforming to the periphery of the flange for restraining the periphery of the flange against movement transversely of the direction of movement of the punch, the punch being confined for longitudinal movement between the external surface of the mandrel and the pressure pad whereby the head formed on the member is restricted in lateral dimension to the distance between the external surface of the mandrel and the pressure pad.

4. Apparatus for heading hollow elongated members comprising a mandrel having an exterior configuration conforming substantially to the interior configuration of a member to be formed, a walled clamping means to clamp the member against longitudinal movement, the clamping means having an inner wall provided with a shoulder forming recess therein, means for inserting a mandrel into the member to be formed, a hollow heading punch adjacently surrounding said mandrel for movement with respect to said mandrel, flange supporting surfaces on said clamping means surrounding said shoulder forming recess, a pressure pad laterally spaced from the mandrel and surrounding said heading punch, the pad being longitudinally movable with respect to the punch for longitudinally urging at a lateral distance to the elongated member a flange against said clamping means, a retaining ring connected to the punch for simultaneous longitudinal movement therewith adjacently surrounding said pressure pad and having surfaces conforming to the periphery of the flange for restraining the periphery of the flange against displacement transversly of the direction of movement of the punch, and means for actuating the mandrel inserting means, the clamping means, the pressure pad, and the punch and retaining ring whereby the end of the member is upset against the flange and simultaneously material from the member is forced into said shoulder forming recess.

5. Apparatus for heading tubular members comprising a mandrel, means for inserting said mandrel in the tubular member, means for clamping the tubular member against longitudinal movement, forming means positioned about the tubular member adjacent one end thereof, means laterally spaced from the member for urging said forming means against said clamping means in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member, means for actuating said urging means, means for preventing lateral movement of said forming means, means for applying force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member to the end of the tubular member adjacent said forming means, and means for simultaneously actuating said means for preventing lateral movement of the forming means and said means for applying force whereby the end of the tubular member is swaged into abutment with the forming means, the lateral dimension of the swaging action being restricted to the distance the means for urging said forming means is spaced from the external surface of the member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 440,474 Farris Nov. 11, 1890 606,046 Chillingworth June 21, 1898 1,291,646 Hughes Jan. 14, 1919 1,383,675 Thomas July 5, 1921 1,961,453 Quarnstrom June 5, 1934 2,016,795 Belknap Oct. 8, 1935 2,452,974 Westin et al. Nov. 2, 1948 2,458,854 Hull Jan. 11, 1949 2,620,013 De Voss Dec. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,109 Great Britain July 6, 1895 

